Building employing hollow block



Feb. 21, 1967 B. J. ONEILL 3,304,351 BUILDING EMPLOYING HOLLOW BLOCK Filed June 26, 1964 4 Sheets-Sheet l B. J. O'NEILL BUILDING EMPLOYING HOLLOW BLOCK Feb. 21, 1967 4 Sheets-Sheet, 2

Filed June 26, 1964 Feb. 21, 1967 B. J. O'NEILL 3,304,851

. BUILDING EMPLOYING HOLLOW BLOCK Filed June 26, 1964 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Feb. 21, 1967 B. J. O'NEILL BUILDING EMPLOYING HOLLOW BLOCK Filed June 26, 1964 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 United States Patent 3,304,851 BUILDING EMPLOYING HOLLOW BLOCK Bert Joseph ONeill, New York, N.Y. (210-20 53rd Ave., Bayside, N.Y. 10019) Filed June 26, 1964, Ser. No. 378,112 4 Claims. (CI. 98-31) This invention relates to a new and useful floor structure adapted for dispersing or distributing warm, cool or fresh airor combinations thereof-throughout the floor area of one-storied, basement-less homes, garages, warehouses, factories, otfice-buildings and other types of onestoried structures requiring these services.

The floor structure of the invention is shown in detail in the drawings and consists of a combination four types of cinder-cement blocks, all, for example six inches (6") high, eight inches (8") wide and sixteen inches (16") long, each one performing a separate function and being designed slightly different to accomplish the general purpose. The blocks are hollow and the side walls and hottoms of all the blocks are three-quarters inch thick, unless otherwise indicated.

The blocks are laid evenly with the top of the building foundation on a base of sand and gravel with and a scratch-coat of cement if desired.

The invention will now be described in detail by reference to the drawings, in which:

FIG. 1A is a perspective View, from the front, of a first type of block of the floor structure of the invention;

FIG. 1B is a perspective view, from the rear, of the first type of block;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a second type of block of the floor structure of the invention;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a third type of block of the floor structure of the invention;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a fourth type of block of the floor structure of the invention;

FIG. 5 is a plan View of a floor structure of the invention assembled on a building foundation.

FIGS. 14 are drawn to one-half scale and FIG. 5 is drawn to one-eighth scale.

The first type of block (FIGS. 1A and 1B) is an intake block which receives forced-draught warm, cool or fresh air from an emanating source through the foundation, and introduces the air sidewise to the second type of blocks, dispersement blocks (FIG. 2). When the air in moving sidewise reaches the side walls of the foundation the resistance then forces the air through the third type of blocks, general blocks (FIG. 3) which run lengthwise across the floor area.

When the air reaches the fourth type of blocks, exhaust blocks (FIG. 4) which runs sidewise against the far end wall of the foundation, the excess is exhausted through slots in the tops of the fourth type of blocks into the interior of the building.

'In areas where plumbing or utility lines must be introduced, any column of the general blocks or a single general block may be eliminated without impairing more than a fraction of the general etficiency.

At the tops of all the blocks are slots three-quarter inch by seven eighths inch for laying of wood firring-strips. When joined with other blocks the slotted area between the blocks becomes one and threequarter inches (1%") wide. This permits the nailing of a thin plywood flooring onto the firring-strips.

If asphalt-tile flooring is preferred the firring-strip slots may be cemented in.

Where the general blocks abut the side walls of the foundation they will show only a half-slot. Firring-strips must be halved at this abutment for the entire length of the columns of the general blocks at each side of the floor area.

It is preferred that a single intake block be required to feed no more than eight (8) dispersement blocks on each side of the intake block, and, consequently, there is a preferred limit of eighteen general blocks per row of general blocks; also there is a preferred limit of no more than twenty (20) general blocks per column of general blocks. Larger areas would, naturally, require additional combinations of blocks.

The rear two-and-a-half inches (2%") of the exhaust blocks preferably are not floored-in so as to permit a small ventilating-grill system to be installed at the base-board level the entire width of the floor area at the exhaust blocks.

Theintake block abuts the open end of the flue from the emanating source of heating or cooling ventilation. Through its two open ends the air flows sidewise towards and through the dispersement blocks.

Small, restricted holes 4 are provided through the rear wall of the intake block, which holes are in alignment with the length'of two columns of the general blocks and the purpose of which is to curtail the amount of forced-draught air going through these two particular columns. 7

When the resistance of the foundation side walls is met, the pressure of the forced-draught commences flow through the columns of general blocks.

The general blocks make up the bulk of the floor area, and carry the air into the exhaust blocks, which abut the rear wall of the foundation. The exhaust blocks each have two small, oblong openings or slots, topside, through which they exhaust the excess air into the interior of the building.

Openings 1W in the intake block W provide a double flow-through area from the main source of heating, cooling or ventilating. The end of a duct from the heat emanating source about the openings 1W.

On each of the four corners of the intake block W are small pockets of cement 2W, which join the blocks together. The cement is laid at these points from bottom level up to a point three-quarters inch from the top of each block.

A step 3W together with a like step in an adjacent dispersement block X constitutes a slot to accept conventional firringastrip, three-quarter inch deep by seven-eighth inch /3) wide.

Arrows indicate intake-flow and sidewise-flow to adjacent No. 2 blocks.

Two small holes 4W are provided in the rear of the intake block W. These holes are made small so that the forced-draught flow (arrows) from the main duct will not enter the mouths of the two aligned general blocks Y wit-h too great a force.

The arrow at the left-end opening of the intake block W indicates the sidewise flow to the adjacent dispersement block X. The opposite end of the intake block W is exactly the same.

The dispersement blocks X are of construction similar to that of the intake block X with like features indicated by like reference numerals. A slot 4X is provided in the top face for accommodating a firring-strip.

The arrow in FIG. 3 indicates flow-through toward the exhaust blocks Z.

Each general block Y is provided with a step 3Y which together with a like step in an adjacent general block defines a slot to accept conventional firring-strip cement jackets 3Y are laid at the corners of each general block Y.

The rear side of each general block Y abutting the rear wall, is closed solidly.

FIG. 4 indicates that the top of each general block J Y is only partially slotted slot 4Z for firring-strips. The rear area of the block is not floored, to permit air-escape through baseboard ventilators.

Slots 6 are provided through the top wall of each exhaust block Z and wall 7 divides the block Z internally. Otherwise, like reference numerals indicate features like those previously discussed with respect to the other blocks.

FIGURE is a schematic drawing indicating the position of all blocks.

In the assembled floor structure the slots and steps of the individual blocks align to form continuous slots 8 (FIG. 5).

The blocks W, X and Z butt against the foundation side Walls 9 (FIG. 5).

I claim: Y

1. In a building having a foundation, a floor structure adapted for the distribution of air, said structure comprising a first hollow block abutting against a wall of the foundation, said first hollow block having a substantially open front wall facing the foundation, substantially open opposed end walls and a back wall having restricted openings therethrough, a plurality of second hollow blocks, said second hollow blocks each having a substantially open rear wall facing away from the foundation and substantially open opposed end walls, said second hollow blocks being arranged end-to-end at each of said ends of said first hollow block and in alignment with said ends of said first hollow block, a set of third hollow blocks, each of said third hollow blocks having substantially open opposed end walls and being arranged side-by-side in rows and end-to-end in columns with one of the substantially open end walls of the blocks of a first of the rows abutting the rear wall of the first block and the rear walls of the second blocks, and a plurality of fourth hollow blocks, said fourth hollow blocks having a substantially open front wall and a top wall having at least one slot therethrough,

said fourth hollow blocks being arranged end-to-end in a single row with said front walls thereof facing one of said ends of a last of the rows of said fourth blocks.

2. A floor structure according to claim 1, in which said first block and each of said second blocks has a slot in the face of the top wall thereof, said slot extending entirely across said face in a direction normal to said wall of the foundation, each of said third blocks has side walls which define a step down from the face of the top wall thereof, and each of said fourth blocks has a slot in the face of the top wall thereof, said steps on said third blocks defining slots between the columns of said third blocks, said slots in said first and second blocks being arranged in alignment with said slots defined between the columns of said third blocks and said slots in said fourth blocks being arranged in alignment with said slots defined between the columns of said third blocks, whereby all of said slots together define continuous slots running across the top faces of all of the blocks.

3. A floor structure according to claim 2, in which said continuous slots are so dimensioned in width and in depth to accommodate firring strips and firring strips arranged in said continuous slots with the top faces of said firring strips flush with the top faces of the blocks.

4. A floor structure according to claim 3, in which said blocks are of a cinder-cement composition.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,013,367 9/1935 Thompson 98-31 2,114,774 4/1938 Brozek 98-31 2,530,940 11/1950 Dahlin 98-31 2,593,424 4/1952 Edgerly 9831 3,187,465 6/ 1965 Giuliano 9831 MEYER PERLIN, Primary Examiner. 

1. IN A BUILDING HAVING A FOUNDATION, A FLOOR STRUCTURE ADAPTED FOR THE DISTRIBUTION OF AIR, SAID STRUCTURE COMPRISING A FIRST HOLLOW BLOCK ABUTTING AGAINST A WALL OF THE FOUNDATION, SAID FIRST HOLLOW BLOCK HAVING A SUBSTANTIALLY OPEN FRONT WALL FACING THE FOUNDATION, SUBSTANTIALLY OPEN OPPOSED END WALLS AND A BACK WALL HAVING RESTRICTED OPENINGS THERETHROUGH, A PLURALITY OF SECOND HOLLOW BLOCKS, SAID SECOND HOLLOW BLOCKS EACH HAVING A SUBSTANTIALLY OPEN REAR WALL FACING AWAY FROM THE FOUNDATION AND SUBSTANTIALLY OPEN OPPOSED END WALLS, SAID SECOND HOLLOW BLOCKS BEING ARRANGED END-TO-END AT EACH OF SAID ENDS OF SAID FIRST HOLLOW BLOCK AND IN ALIGNMENT WITH SAID ENDS OF SAID FIRST HOLLOW BLOCK, A SET OF THIRD HOLLOW BLOCKS, EACH OF SAID THIRD HOLLOW BLOCKS HAVING SUBSTANTIALLY OPEN OPPOSED END WALLS AND BEING ARRANGED SIDE-BY-SIDE IN ROWS AND END-TO-END IN COLUMNS WITH ONE OF THE SUBSTANTIALLY OPEN END WALLS OF THE BLOCKS OF A FIRST OF THE ROWS ABUTTING THE REAR WALL OF THE FIRST BLOCK AND THE REAR WALLS OF THE SECOND BLOCKS, AND A PLURALITY OF FOURTH HOLLOW BLOCKS, SAID FOURTH HOLLOW BLOCKS HAVING A SUBSTANTIALLY OPEN FRONT WALL AND A TOP WALL HAVING AT LEAST ONE SLOT THERETHROUGH, SAID FOURTH HOLLOW BLOCKS BEING ARRANGED END-TO-END IN A SINGLE ROW WITH SAID FRONT WALLS THEREOF FACING ONE OF SAID ENDS OF A LAST OF THE ROWS OF SAID FOURTH BLOCKS. 